Flipped Over a House

Bonnie Warren

Imagine owning five houses in five years. Bryan Francher, a realtor for Prudential Gardner, and Daniel Brockhoeft, Regional Sales Manager for Omni Hotels, did such a thing. Though Francher says he occasionally felt like a vagabond, he also says the properties were great investments. “We knew each time that we had made a good investment, and that we would flip each house when we finished making it picture-perfect,” says Francher. “When we moved into our current home in the Marigny just before Christmas 2007, I knew our moving days were over.”

“I think that’s correct,” adds Brockhoeft, “but you never know.”

The duo’s interesting journey of home ownership took them from a magnificent condominium in the French Quarter with an iron balcony overlooking Royal Street, to an Uptown two-story masonry cottage on Atlanta Street, to a 1914 Arts and Crafts-style home in the historic East Hill District of Pensacola, to a huge 1820 Creole eight-plex in the heart of the French Quarter on St. Philip Street, “That we converted to a grand residence with three rentals and sold before the renovations were completed,” says Brockhoeft, to their current home at the corner of Royal Street and Esplanade Avenue on the border of Faubourg Marigny. “It was all an interesting adventure and I enjoyed the challenge of each house.”

One quick look at the stately 1890, side-hall, Victorian mansion, it’s easy to see their talent for creating perfect renovations. “There was a lot that needed to be done to this house,” Francher states. “The previous owners of the property had modernized everything with light oak built-ins, but we could see a magnificent historic house underneath everything.”

Francher and Brockhoeft rolled up their sleeves and went to work. “Among the many projects we tackled, we took care of all of the interior painting ourselves.” Francher says. “Fortunately, the former owner wanted most of the custom built-ins and the original craftsman who built them took them out for him.”

With the guidance of Joel Dyer and Jay Duke, decorative artists who have been involved in one way or another in all of the couple’s renovations, they painted the three main rooms a bright gold color and then used a brown tint glaze over the gold. “It gives the rooms a wonderful glowing quality at night,” Francher explains. “Once again we painted our ceiling a light blue, a color we have always used for our ceilings. We think it adds interest to the rooms.”

It took several months to complete the renovation. “We love to entertain,” Brockhoeft says. “This is a perfect house for a party with three adjoining 15-by-18-foot rooms lining the long hallway downstairs. Since we weren’t settled enough to have a holiday party right after we moved in, we made up for it with a special Christmas celebration for our family and friends last month.”

Upstairs there are six rooms, including the large master bedroom with its own balcony overlooking Esplanade Avenue. (The third floor has two additional bedrooms and a bathroom.) “The master bedroom is one of our favorite rooms in the house,” Francher explains. “It’s a tree-top perch that catches the morning sunlight and we enjoy having our weekend coffee on the balcony.” Yes, their house-flipping days are over.

“You never can tell,” Brockhoeft adds with a smile. “Make us an offer and we’ll see.”